Chris Armas returns to Old Trafford after nine months away from Manchester United, taking charge of Leeds United win as part of a three-man team of caretaker coaches filling the void following this week's sacking of head coach Jesse Marsch.
Marsch left on Monday, less than 24 hours after the club's 1-0 defeat by Nottingham Forest that left them sitting outside the Premier League relegation places only on goal difference. They do have a game in hand over those directly below and above them, which comes on Wednesday against United.
Leeds have failed to win a single league match since the season resumed on Boxing Day following the break in the schedule for the World Cup, picking up just three points from their six matches since. Armas and company will be aiming to end that wretched run at a place that the former United States international once called home.
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Who is Chris Armas?
During his playing days, Armas spent the majority of his 12-year Major League Soccer career with the Chicago Fire, becoming a legend at the club. With the national team, he was part of Gold Cup-winning teams in 2002 and 2005 before ending his seven year international career with a total of 66 caps.
Retirement came at the end of the 2007 season, and after a time teaching physical education at St. Anthony's High School and coaching the women's team at his alma mater, Adelphi University, Armas reunited with former Fire teammate Marsch at the New York Red Bulls.
Armas was Marsch's assistant in New Jersey for three-and-a-half-years before the Leeds head coach-to-be headed to Europe and became Red Bull Salzburg boss. After that departure, Armas was promoted to head coach, staying in post for the next two years before eventually being fired. A short stint at Toronto also followed, which again ended in an early exit, and was then followed by making the move to Manchester.
The then-49-year-old arrived to join Rangnick's coaching staff in December 2021. Reports just months after Armas' arrival claimed that the coach conducted the majority of coaching sessions, with ESPN being told that players likened the new arrival to the fictional football coach Ted Lasso from the eponymous television series.
On matchdays, Armas was in constant communication with fellow assistant coach-cum-analyst Ewan Sharp via the pair of Apple AirPods in his ears, which became a distinctive feature of his. A day after arriving at the club, The Athletic claim that a meeting with Sir Alex Ferguson saw the legendary manager respond to Armas explaining his own history in the game with a smile and "words to the effect of: 'You'll need more than that here, son.'".
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